The Maritime Centre of Excellence (MCOE), operated by the NLNG Shipping and Marine Services Limited (NSML), has secured international certification from the United Kingdom (UK) Nautical Institute to enhance Nigeria’s global maritime training capacity and competitiveness of Nigerian seafarers.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NSML, Abdulkadir Ahmed, announced the achievement at a press conference in Lagos yesterday, saying the achievement would strengthen Nigeria’s position in the global maritime industry and affirm the competitiveness of the country’s standard of training and expertise.

Ahmed explained that internationally recognised certifications would improve the employability and mobility of Nigerian maritime professionals, enabling them to access opportunities in global shipping fleets and offshore operations.

He added that the certification would also reduce reliance on foreign training institutions while supporting local capacity development and reinforcing safety, professionalism and operational readiness within the maritime sector.

Ahmed disclosed that the licence by the UK Nautical Institute would enable MCOE to deliver key Dynamic Positioning (DP) programmes, including induction, simulator, revalidation and vessel maintenance courses.

He added that the facility is currently the only institute in West Africa with this level of Nautical Institute accreditation for DP training.

“Maritime operations demand discipline, technical competence and continuous learning. The certifications obtained by the MCOE affirm that the professionals trained here meet high international expectations in performance, safety and operational readiness,” he said.

He noted that the certification validates the quality and international relevance of training programmes offered by the MCOE, established as a hub for maritime training, research and competence development.

According to him, the centre serves maritime professionals from Nigeria, West Africa and beyond, adding that the facility is equipped with advanced simulators and modern training infrastructure designed to support the continuous professional development of seafarers and other maritime personnel through a growing portfolio of mandatory and specialised courses.

Ahmed noted that the certification builds on previous accreditations already secured by the centre, including certifications from DNV under the ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System and the DNV-ST-0029 standards for Maritime Simulator and Training Centres.